A match-fixing scandal and full scale investigation taking place in Italy. Will it affect the Italian team performance?Well, Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi belives that the fans eventually will get behind the team and help them put their troubles to bed.

"That could be the case (that the fans feel distant) given what's happened over the last few months but all will be forgotten, not least because those playing (for Italy) have nothing to do with what has happened," he said. "Just one month before we won the World Cup (in 2006) there was a similar atmosphere. "It is a little annoying because now next to the page about the national team you read about a sporting trial and we can't wait for it to be over.

"But it's not a case of the whole footballing world being dirty as things seem, the national team is above that."

Spain and Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique believes that will only make the Italians stronger, as it has in the past. Already in 2006 they won the World Cup directly following a match-fixing scandal and they did so too in 1982 just two years after yet another sordid affair.

"It seems Italy have been destabilised and have their heads elsewhere. But those are the circumstances in which they are at their strongest," said Pique. "I am convinced that Italy will be a very complicated opponent to play against and that they will qualify for the quarters."